Historical September–October 2019 article. Dates, prices, services and contacts describe the source period; current availability has not been established.
Those of us lucky enough to live near Forest Park are rarely surprised when we hear it has been listed as one of the “world’s most beautiful city parks” or one of the country’s “top 10 coolest parks.” We experience it everyday. Yet, when I was invited to attend the City Parks Alliance’s Greater and Greener Conference in Denver, I wondered if the mountain views and the crisp dry heat would shake my enthusiasm for what we have here in St. Louis. Denver is known for its natural beauty, its incredible outdoor recreational opportunities, and its booming population.
I went expecting to be blown away by its success.
After biking a section of the High Line Canal (a 71-mile bike trail along a historic irrigation canal), visiting a youth farm started by Denver Urban Gardens (DUG – cute, right?), and networking at Denver’s Confluence Park, I came home even more excited about St. Louis. Let me first say that Denver’s confluence doesn’t have anything on St. Louis’s confluence. Yes, it’s in the heart of Denver with a giant REI flagship store on the banks, but nothing compares to the size and majesty of the muddy Missouri River meeting the mighty Mississippi. And yes, the High Line Canal was fun to bike along, but due to the region’s water shortage, it’s a dry canal getting even drier — Great Rivers Greenway boasts 125 miles of trails so far!
I also toured the 16th Street Mall with an eye towards our own Delmar Loop.
The mall is a bustling, 1.25 mile pedestrian corridor lined with shops and restaurants offering visitors and business commuters free rides on a shuttle bus.
The mall struggles with out-of-control scooter riders, much like many of our streets, but it has its own challenges, including an 8-year life span for the trees lining both sides of the mall.
I visited a golf course that had been transformed into stormwater infrastructure and was reminded not only of the water wealth of our region, but the vastness of our green spaces to absorb water and feed lush wetlands, diverse prairies, and stands of old growth forest, all ecosystems found in Forest Park.
In addition to better appreciating what we have here in St. Louis, I started seeing opportunities.
While walking along Cherry Creek in downtown Denver, I saw what the River Des Peres could have become if it hadn’t been buried underground and combined with our sewers.
I saw visions of what our biking infrastructure could look like and I learned how other cities are protecting affordable housing options around thriving parks.
The City of St. Louis has 109 parks.
These parks can be the keys to safe, healthy, thriving neighborhoods.
They make St. Louis more resilient to the climate crisis by providing shade trees to reduce the heat island effect, absorbing excess water from flooding, and purifying the air. Parks play an important role in keeping our kids healthy and protecting pollinator habitats so we have a reliable food supply.
I can’t say enough about the benefits of our parks. Studying parks in Denver was fun, but it was also a reminder of the incredible assets our city parks are when it comes to building a viable future for everyone in our region. I’m not the only one who thinks so. Next year the City Parks Alliance will host its biannual park city tour right here in St. Louis.
Originally published in The Times of Skinker-DeBaliviere, September–October 2019.
Read this article in the original newspaper issue.
Original source: SD_Times2019_09.pdf, printed page(s) 6; PDF page(s) 4.
